Army veteran, Graeme Antrobus, is hoping for peak performance in a fundraising trek up a Himalayan mountain in May, in aid of the Veterans’ Foundation.
Graeme, who was a Lance Corporal in the Royal Signals, is aiming to raise more than £1,000 when he attempts to climb to the summit of Mera Peak, which at 6,476 meters above sea level, is the highest trekking peak in Nepal.
The climbing expedition offers breathtaking views of the snow-capped Himalayan mountain ranges, including Mount Everest, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.
The 16-day Mera Peak climb is physically demanding and requires proper preparation and planning, endurance and technical skills. It involves a trek to the Mera Peak Base Camp, acclimatisation days, and the final ascent to the summit.
Graeme attempted to scale the peak in September 2022 but had to turn back just 200m from the summit when he and his Swiss trekking partner struggled to go any further due to a combination of challenges with the weather and exhaustion.
He is attempting the trek alone with a sherpa guide this time. He has been training hard by walking more than 130km in January and is aiming to do 150km a month in the lead up to his ascent.
“The main challenge is acclimatising to the altitude,” said Graeme. “I’m allowing a few days for that before tackling the trek, and I am very confident of reaching the summit this time.”
“I started thinking about this trip as soon as I got back from the last, and I want to raise money that helps veterans. The Army gave me lots of opportunities and I want to help in any way I can.”
Graeme joined the Army in 1996 and two years later, while on tour in Croatia, had his name pulled out of a hat to do a three-week adventure training course in Nepal to circumnavigate the sacred mountain Machapuchare, which involves climbing over the Himalayas via the 5416m Thorong La pass.
“It had a profound effect on me and set the tone for my life and how I want to spend my time,” said Graeme, 47, who left the service in 2003 and now lives in Basingstoke and works as a sales engineer for a telecommunications company.
He will be away for three weeks and will be trekking for two of them, staying in wooden guest houses with the local sherpa people.
And just a month after returning from that trip Graeme plans to do the 100km Cotswolds Way Ultra Challenge over two days in June.
Visit Graeme’s fundraising page at justgiving.com/page/graeme-antrobus-merapeak-part2
